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  • #1

    Microsoft Pulling Support to NT 4

    Just a moment...
    http://news.com.com/2100-1016_3-1021428.html?tag=fd_top




    Time running out for Windows NT

    By Ina Fried
    Staff Writer, CNET News.com
    June 26, 2003, 11:15 AM PT


    The clock is ticking for those Microsoft customers still using the software maker's Windows NT 4.0 workstation operating system.

    Microsoft's telephone support for the 7-year-old operating system ceases at the end of June. Customers' only option will be to go online to work out problems themselves. Until now, the Redmond, Wash., software maker has kept up its paid telephone, or "extended," support and has developed any needed security patches for the operating system.

    Those with the server version of NT 4.0 have a bit more time. As earlier reported, extended support for that operating system doesn't expire until the end of 2004. Extended support consists of paid support and continued security patches known as "hot fixes."

    Microsoft had planned to end support for NT 4 Server some time this year, but in January, said it would extend the deadline. At the time, the company said more than a quarter of server customers were still running the OS, which made its debut in 1996.

    The software maker is hoping that NT 4.0 Server users will move to the company's new Windows Server 2003 operating system, released earlier this year.

    Meanwhile, Microsoft on Thursday released an improved version of its Windows 2000 software, including security fixes as well as support for USB 2.0 and wireless Internet connections.

    Another deadline looms for desktop customers running Windows 98. Extended support for that product ends January 15.

    With its newer operating systems--Windows 2000 Professional and Windows XP--Microsoft has announced an even longer support cycle. Under the new guidelines for system software released after October 2002, the company will offer mainstream support for five years after the OS is made generally available, with extended support running a further two years.

    Microsoft has a timeline for operating system support on its Web site.



    They are going to have to pry, uh, someone's NT 4 out from their cold, dead fingers.
    Blog | Civ2 Scenario League | leo.petr at gmail.com
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  • #2
    There aren't likely to be that many NT4 issues out there that aren't already covered in KB articles and user groups.

    There's someone at the opposite end of the building I work in with something 486y looking and a happily displayed Win95 logo, so there's not doubt a bunch of troglodytes still using NT4
    When all else fails, blame brown people. | Hire a teen, while they still know it all. | Trump-Palin 2016. "You're fired." "I quit."

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    • #3
      Michael hit the nail on the head .. if somebody is using NT4, and are so hopeless they need Microsofts help, then they deserve all the expense of upgrading .. invest in a decent IT department, and you shouldn't need Microsofts help.

      How long until XP's cover is pulled .. its all a marketing gimic, designed to make gulable ceo's jump to the next version of OS .. what really annoys me is, the OS is completely irrelivant to many of these companies, the applications are what are important ..

      but too many so called IT professionals get so wrapped up in having the latest OS .. they seem to have forgotten why we have computers in the first place.
      "Wherever wood floats, you will find the British" . Napoleon

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      • #4
        Re: Microsoft Pulling Support to NT 4

        Originally posted by St Leo
        Just a moment...
        http://news.com.com/2100-1016_3-1021428.html?tag=fd_top




        Time running out for Windows NT

        By Ina Fried
        Staff Writer, CNET News.com
        June 26, 2003, 11:15 AM PT

        ...

        Another deadline looms for desktop customers running Windows 98. Extended support for that product ends January 15.

        ...


        What absolute balls. Windows Update stopped automatically checking for Win98 updates months ago. I had to go delving in their archive to get a set of system patches. This is "extended support"? I don't think so.
        Some cry `Allah O Akbar` in the street. And some carry Allah in their heart.
        "The CIA does nothing, says nothing, allows nothing, unless its own interests are served. They are the biggest assembly of liars and theives this country ever put under one roof and they are an abomination" Deputy COS (Intel) US Army 1981-84

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        • #5
          Originally posted by The Viceroy
          but too many so called IT professionals get so wrapped up in having the latest OS .. they seem to have forgotten why we have computers in the first place.
          yep, Boys and their Toys!

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          • #6
            Originally posted by MichaeltheGreat
            There's someone at the opposite end of the building I work in with something 486y looking and a happily displayed Win95 logo, so there's not doubt a bunch of troglodytes still using NT4
            Troglodytes? I was at an oil refinery this week and noticed that their network still runs NT4. An oil refinery is a big player; they're not going to let their computer OS needs be dictated to them by Microsoft licensing/support policies. If they don't see the payback in upgrading their network, they won't do it, end of story. They've got far more important things to spend their money on.

            Working in the industrial automation field, I come across all kinds of older software & hardware systems still in use, and I think from time to time, that computer software and hardware developers really don't grasp this field at all. Control systems have a very different and typically much longer upgrade cycle than commercial applications. A standard RS-232 serial port is a vital, often the only communication interface to many older control systems, and yet hardware manufacturers are moving in the direction of abandoning them in new PCs. We still need DOS compatibility for some old control software packages, yet that's fallen by the wayside so we have to keep an older laptop up & running to handle those. It can be a challenge, that's for sure.
            "If you doubt that an infinite number of monkeys at an infinite number of typewriters would eventually produce the combined works of Shakespeare, consider: it only took 30 billion monkeys and no typewriters." - Unknown

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            • #7
              Originally posted by MichaeltheGreat
              There's someone at the opposite end of the building I work in with something 486y looking and a happily displayed Win95 logo, so there's not doubt a bunch of troglodytes still using NT4
              Are you spying on him with your telescope or something? =)

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              • #8
                Originally posted by optimus2861
                An oil refinery is a big player; they're not going to let their computer OS needs be dictated to them by Microsoft licensing/support policies.
                Spot on. Many companies do not upgrade when there's a new version of Windows come out. Why go to a bug heaven when older, more stable OS works just as well? In fact, the larger companies will perform extensive tests to see if the new OS works with all the existing software.

                Originally posted by optimus2861
                Working in the industrial automation field, I come across all kinds of older software & hardware systems still in use, and I think from time to time, that computer software and hardware developers really don't grasp this field at all.
                That's true also.
                (\__/) 07/07/1937 - Never forget
                (='.'=) "Claims demand evidence; extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence." -- Carl Sagan
                (")_(") "Starting the fire from within."

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                • #9
                  i work in a semi-automated chemical plant, and there are a lot of systems still controlling processes using DOS side by side with NT4 and XP

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                  • #10
                    It's a hell lot easier to interface with controllers in DOS, and you don't have to worry about problems such as BSoD.
                    (\__/) 07/07/1937 - Never forget
                    (='.'=) "Claims demand evidence; extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence." -- Carl Sagan
                    (")_(") "Starting the fire from within."

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                    • #11
                      i hate nt4. when it was around, we used novell. i liked netware.

                      now novell's being a *****, so we're switching to win server 2k3. i'm not looking forward to it.
                      B♭3

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                      • #12
                        NetWare is still better. NDS kicks the crap out of AD.
                        (\__/) 07/07/1937 - Never forget
                        (='.'=) "Claims demand evidence; extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence." -- Carl Sagan
                        (")_(") "Starting the fire from within."

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                        • #13
                          netware's stable. problem is, groupwise 6 and zenworks both have quite a few bugs that make it not work too well on our hardware.

                          novell won't update it until 6.5. we're a school. we don't have that kind of money, and we're tired of waiting.

                          so we're switching to microsoft, and nobody's particularly happy, but.
                          B♭3

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                          • #14
                            Why not switch to Lotus Notes instead?
                            (\__/) 07/07/1937 - Never forget
                            (='.'=) "Claims demand evidence; extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence." -- Carl Sagan
                            (")_(") "Starting the fire from within."

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                            • #15
                              we're hoping that going with one vendor entirely will help iron out any future kinks.
                              B♭3

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